Governor Tomblin will be speaking at two separate conferences hosted by the West Virginia Manufacturers Association. The conferences will discuss Marcellus drilling and related concerns such as training, environmental concerns, taxes, infrastructure and investments. The WVMA hopes to offer an opportunity for business and industry leaders to learn more about the Marcellus shale drilling process as a whole. Read the rest of this entry →

The Northern District of West Virginia has a new federal judge. Gina Groh was confirmed by the US Senate by a 95-2 vote on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Groh grew up in the Eastern Panhandle and was appointed to the 23rd judicial circuit court by Governor Joe Manchin. She also spent 8 years as a prosecuting attorney. Groh graduated from the WVU College of Law. Read the rest of this entry →

Century Aluminum may see tax breaks up to $20 million to help restart their operations in Jackson County. The Governor’s office, lawmakers, and company officials have been discussing possible tax breaks like offsetting their electric costs. The Ravenswood plant laid off about 650 workers when the California-based company shut down operations at the facility in 2009. Century then decided to end health benefits for retirees of the company, which has proven to be problematic when looking for help from the public. Read the rest of this entry →

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The legislature recently passed SB477, which makes owning “exotic animals” a privilege, not a right. What exactly is an exotic animal? Well, that’s up to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.

Delegate Larry Kump, R-Berkeley, says that “the phrase that comes to mind is ‘lions, tigers and bears, oh my!'” However, the Department could hypothetically decide whatever they choose. “This has drawn furor of some people who own exotic and not so exotic pets. Quite frankly, their confidence in the rule-making procedure is not good.” Read the rest of this entry →

“Real Solutions to Rising Electric Rates” is a public forum being held by Energy Efficient West Virginia, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and the Coalition for Reliable Power tonight at 6:30pm at the Cabell County Library in Huntington. Energy Efficient West Virginia lobbied for an Energy Resource Standard which did not pass the legislature this session. Read the rest of this entry →